The present application relates generally to the field of plasma generators for treating a surface of an object with plasma.
Plasma generators have been used to treat surfaces of objects. These surfaces may be formed from materials such as plastics, rubber, glass, metals, and composites. Treating these surfaces may make it easier to bond things to the surfaces. For example, it may make it easier to apply paint, adhesives (e.g. to apply labels), coatings, laminates, and inks to the surfaces.
Plasma may be applied to surfaces for other reasons as well. Plasma may be applied to a surface to microclean a surface by removing organic and inorganic contaminants.
Plasma generators may include vortex generators that are configured to generate a vortex of working gas. In many plasma generators, the swirling gas caused by the vortex generator and an electrical arc interact to form the plasma.
Some prior vortex generators used a ceramic base material having holes at an angle to generate the vortex. These prior vortex generators included a threaded metal ring which was adhered to the ceramic base material. The metal ring was used to hold the electrode.